April 2018 news
Welcome to our latest newsletter, especially if you have just joined us. Welcome also to our new friends in Canada, India, Portugal, The Netherlands and Japan. It is great to hear about your work.
It continues to be busy in the world of social prescribing, with the increasing recognition that social prescribing can provide a viable way of supporting many people using non-medical solutions. Following the theme of 'recognition', I'd like to recognise the effort that so many people went to when submitting bids for the Department of Health round of funding for social prescribing schemes. Whilst many people have been informed that they were unsuccessful, the volume of applications has served to raise the profile of how social prescribing can or is already being applied to support health, wellbeing and social determinants of health.
Sustainability of funding for social prescribing schemes remains the number one topic of conversation. Everyone has a role to play in increasing the amount of recognition that social prescribing receives. No matter what your association is with social prescribing, the increasing level of conversations that are happening around the UK and internationally helps keep social prescribing in people's minds. We have come a long way in the last 2 years since the network was formed. It is apparent that 2018 and 2019 will be focussing on how to create infrastructure to allow social prescribing to spread in a sustainable way. I anticipate that we will be asking you all to help us make decisions on what this infrastructure needs to look like, so do keep sharing your experiences with us when we reach out to you all. This issue we are asking about quality assurance and a London wide strategy...
There is a huge amount to share with you so do read on!
Best wishes,
Marie
Co-Chair, Social Prescribing Network
Conferences and talks
We are delighted to have raised enough money to go ahead and organise 2 international conferences for the Social Prescribing Network this year.
1st International Social Prescribing Network Research Conference: WIth the quality and number of abstracts that have been submitted so far, the conference on the 14th June at the University of Salford is shaping up to be a fantastic day. Abstract submission is open until this Friday, April 6th so you still have time to submit your research to us. Details for submission can be accessed here. Details on how to secure a place at the conference will be announced shortly.
In case you were wondering, we will also be organising our 2nd International Social Prescribing Network Conference which is likely to be held in November. This will be a time to share where all aspects of Social Prescribing have got to, much like we held at the Kings Fund in May 2016. As soon as we have confirmed dates and details we will let you know.
Aesop Arts and Society 'National Arts in Health Conference and Showcase' is an event for health decision makers with a focus on how the arts can contribute to current health priorities. Taking place on the 19th of April at the at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, this event is co-hosted by the College of Medicine. Further information and tickets can be accessed here.
If you want to collaborate on any conferences we are organising now or in the future, regional, national or international then you are very welcome to connect with us - just email us here.
Development of assets to enable scaling of social prescribing
Using a National Lottery grant, TCV the conservation volunteers, is working with the Social Prescribing Network, NHS England and the NHS in the home countries, local healthcare services, commissioners, academics and charities to support the development of key components that will enable the scaling of social prescribing. It is also supporting the bringing together of academics, health and social care professionals and organisations of all sizes who deliver SP initiatives, through conferences and other opportunities.
Through the development of a quality assurance framework and new referral pathways, clinicians and users will have a greater level of trust in the safety and effectiveness of programmes.Working groups of representative bodies and individuals will be formed to develop, test and release the products, ensuring a combination of robustness for duty while allowing the many smaller organisations that deliver social prescribing to complete the process without excessive cost and effort.
Simultaneously, NHS England will be moving forwards with the co-production of a common outcomes framework, enabling a level of standardisation of assessment across the myriad social prescribing providers and services.
All products will be free-ware once completed.
What quality assurance frameworks are you using for your social prescribing schemes? Please do let the steering committee for this project know what you have already developed, we are keen not to reinvent the wheel but to work with people to develop assets that will work appropriately. Please do email Craig Lister, project lead with any relevant information or documentation.
Co-designing a Social Prescribing Strategy for London: Have your say!
Following the Social Prescribing conference on Friday 2nd February at City Hall, Healthy London Partnership and the Greater London Authority are pleased to be working with Elemental on the next phase of co-designing a Social Prescribing Strategy for London, focusing on two areas of effective social prescription delivery: the role of the Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise sector and Digital Solutions.
For the first theme, Phil Veasey (Community Well) is working in partnership with Elemental and leading on the VCSE element of the project. Two workshops have been arranged on Tuesday 10 April and Thursday 19 April for London based VCSE organisations to have their say on the #SocialPrescribing Strategy. Please forward this to other contacts working in the VCSE sector in your areas.
VCSE stakeholder workshop 1
Date: Tuesday 10 April
Time: 8.30am – 11.30 am
Venue: Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA
Book here: https://bit.ly/2EgmHrR
VCSE stakeholder workshop 2
Date: Thursday 19 April
Time: 8:30am - 11:30am
Venue: tbc - Central or East London
Book here: https://bit.ly/2JieFlQ
Other opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to elements of the strategy include:
· An online meeting for GPs is taking place 12 April 12:30-1:30pm with further details to follow (please email jennifer@elementalsoftware.co to take part)
- A London wide survey that will be sent out in due course
- A number of other online meetings with different types of social prescribing referral agents
- And a combination of face to face interviews and telephone calls.
The projects are informing a larger programme of work to co-design the Social Prescribing Strategy for London which HLP and the GLA are delivering with the Social Prescribing Network, NHS organisations, GP Practices, local authorities and third sector bodies across London. The Strategy is due to be launched in Autumn 2018.
If you have any questions please get in touch with Jennifer Neff from Elemental or a member of the HLP Proactive Care Team.
Research papers of interest
Arts and Social Prescribing Updates
Last month the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Arts, Health and Wellbeing met again to discuss the progress of recommendation that the Social Prescribing Network and NHSE promote the use of Arts in social prescribing.
This was a great meet up of stakeholders from the voluntary and community sector, commissioners, GPs, NHSE, local authority, academia, public health to discuss what is currently happening, what could be done to further promote social prescribing and also what barriers needed overcoming.
One idea from this meeting was to encourage your local MP to become aware of the social prescribing schemes in their areas - to see exactly how their constituents are benefitting. So please be proactive and invite your local MP to see your projects, if you haven't done so already. You can find your local MP and their contact details here. Please do also ask your MP to join the APPG on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. Email Alexandra Coulter, Secretary to the APPG for more details.
The National Alliance for Museums, Health & Wellbeing and The National Alliance for Arts, Health & Wellbeing have merged to form The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance. With the combined strength of these two organisations they aim to have a strong emphasis on the potential of national strategic developments that can be activated by strong regional and local place based working'. For more information, visit the new website.
National Social Prescribing Conference for Junior Doctors and Medical Students
On March 24th we had the pleasure of joining Bogdan Chiva Giurca, the National Medical Student Champion for Social Prescribing and 60 other medical students and junior doctors from around the UK. This conference was supported by the Social Prescribing Network, the Royal College of GPs and NHS England. The day showed how much passion medical students and new medical professionals have for this approach, and much discussion was had on how to improve representation of social prescribing within medical curriculums.
Jennifer Neff and TEDxStormont
Jennifer Neff, of Elemental Software is teaming up with TEDxStormont for their inspired life talk. The day promises to be an excellent opportunity to share idea and spark discussions on how to live an inspired life. Tickets are available here. We look forward to seeing the finished product!
Reports
Impact of social prescribing
Making Sense of Social Prescribing
This guide was co-produced last year, by those who have been there and done it. If you are new to social prescribing then please do use this resource to do some of leg work for you!
Social Prescribing in the media
Debbie Taylor (@The_Debs_Effect) and myself were guests on national Canadian Radio with Anna Maria Tremonti who hosts The Current. We were invited to explain about the social prescribing movement in the UK alongside a Canadian Doctor Gary Bloch (@Gary_Bloch), who is trying to improve health by treating social determinants of health as part of his practice. You can find the piece here
Dr Daisy Fancourt recorded an essay for BBC Radio 3 called Arts for Health's Sake . This is a great 15 minutes exploring how research demonstrates the benefits of engaging in museums and other art forms. It is also a great explanation of social prescribing using the Arts.
Social Prescribing was featured in March by BBC News North West with a segment on Wellbeing Enterprises. The aim and benefits of social prescribing are nicely highlighted. You can view the video here.
Social Prescribing Twitter account
Some of you may have noticed that we now have our designated Twitter account live. Follow us @SocialPrescrib2 and we can follow up back. We will send out updates of projects, events and newsletters from this account.
Join the Twitter conversation every Wednesday 8-9pm. #socialpreshour
You are invited to join a dedicated conversation to social prescribing on Twitter, every Wednesday, 8-9pm GMT. This open to all people interested in social prescribing internationally to discuss key themes, news and topics around social prescribing. The weekly @SocialPresHour will be hosted by a range of thought leaders throughout 2018.
Social Prescribing Wiki
This wiki is dedicated to Social Prescribing & Self Care. It is intended as a resource for everyone who is interested in Social Prescribing & Self Care and related subject matters.
Do you have a resource on social prescribing to share with the social prescribing network? Email us on socialprescribing@outlook.com.
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